Economic Growth - The UK economy experienced a slight recovery in August, with GDP increasing by 0.1% after a 0.1% decline in July, aligning with economists' median expectations [1][3] - Manufacturing output rose by 0.7%, exceeding expectations, while the services sector remained stagnant for two consecutive months [1][3] Sector Performance - In the three months leading up to August, the UK GDP grew by 0.3%, indicating potential growth for the third quarter [3] - The manufacturing sector saw growth in 8 out of 13 sub-sectors, with the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector contributing the most at a growth rate of 3% [6] - Despite an increase in retail sales, the services sector failed to expand, with declines noted in wholesale, entertainment, and transportation sectors [6] Trade Dynamics - In August, UK goods imports remained flat, while exports decreased, with a notable decline of approximately £700 million in exports to the United States [7]

Core Insights - Vietnam's foreign investment has surged, with a total of 134 new investment projects and a registered capital of $709.3 million from January to September 2025, marking a nearly threefold increase year-on-year [1] - The total foreign investment amount, including new and additional capital, reached $846.8 million, representing a 3.5 times growth compared to the same period in 2024 [1] Investment Distribution - Vietnamese enterprises have invested across 34 countries and regions, with Laos receiving the highest investment of $397.2 million, accounting for 46.9% of the total [1] - Other significant investment destinations include the Philippines ($92 million, 10.9%), Indonesia ($64.6 million, 7.6%), Germany ($50.6 million, 6%), and the United States ($33.3 million, 3.9%) [1] Sector Analysis - The electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector attracted the most investment, totaling $341.5 million, which is 40.3% of the total investment [1] - The wholesale and retail, automotive, motorcycle, and other vehicle repair sectors received nearly $121 million, representing 14.3% [1] - The transportation and storage sector garnered $109.2 million, accounting for 12.9% of the total investment [1] Future Outlook - Experts indicate that the continuous growth in Vietnam's foreign investment reflects the increasing initiative of local enterprises to expand into overseas markets [2] - The recent issuance of Resolution No. 68 by the Central Political Bureau regarding the development of the private economy is expected to create new opportunities for private sector growth [2] - As Vietnam's economy becomes more integrated into the global economy, private enterprises are anticipated to actively pursue foreign direct investment, leading to a potential leap in investment growth [2]

Core Insights - Azerbaijan's GDP reached 830.4 billion manats (approximately 488.5 billion USD) in the first eight months of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 1% [1] - The oil and gas sector experienced a decline in output by 2.1%, while the non-oil sector saw an increase in output by 2.6% [1] Sector Contributions to GDP - The industrial sector accounted for 34.9% of GDP [1] - Trade and automotive repair contributed 10.3% to GDP [1] - Transportation and storage represented 7.1% of GDP [1] - Agriculture, forestry, and fishing made up 6.3% of GDP [1] - Construction also accounted for 6.3% of GDP [1] - The tourism, accommodation, and catering sector contributed 2.8% to GDP [1] - Information and communication sector represented 1.8% of GDP [1] - Other industries collectively accounted for 20.7% of GDP [1]

Group 1 - Dubai has ranked first globally in the number of greenfield investment projects for eight consecutive half-year periods since the second half of 2021 [1] - In the first half of 2025, Dubai attracted 643 greenfield investment projects, surpassing the second-ranked city by 478 projects, marking a record high since 2003 [1] - The total amount of greenfield investment in Dubai rose to 40.4 billion dirhams (approximately 11 billion USD), representing a year-on-year increase of 62% [1] Group 2 - The total number of FDI projects in Dubai increased to 1,090, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 29% [1] - Headquarters-related FDI projects in Dubai saw significant growth, rising from 20 in the first half of 2024 to 32, ranking first globally [1] - Major sources of investment in Dubai include the United States (35%), the United Kingdom (10.6%), France (8.9%), India (8.9%), and Saudi Arabia (5.2%) [1] Group 3 - The primary sectors attracting investment in Dubai are business services (30.6%), hotel and tourism (21.3%), transportation and storage (7.2%), consumer goods (6.6%), and real estate (6.3%) [1]

Group 1 - The Business Sentiment Index (BSI) for South Korean companies is reported at 93.2 for September, indicating a pessimistic outlook as it remains below the baseline of 100 since April 2022, marking a record low [1] - The manufacturing sector's BSI is at 92.6, while the non-manufacturing sector is slightly better at 93.8, with several industries, including non-metallic materials and metal products, expected to remain sluggish [1] - The semiconductor industry has seen a significant decline, with the BSI for the "Electronics and Communication Equipment" sector dropping from 111.1 to 94.7, a decrease of 16.4 points [1] Group 2 - In the non-manufacturing sector, industries such as electricity, gas, and water (73.7), construction (83.7), and transportation and storage (95.5) are expected to continue underperforming [2] - Key economic indicators such as investment (90.6), domestic demand (91.7), and employment (93.2) are all in a low state, with the inventory index exceeding 100, indicating an oversupply [2] - A report from the Korea Chamber of Commerce highlights that 33.9% of companies cite "difficulties in financing" as their primary operational challenge, followed by tax rates (20.9%) and labor regulations (15.8%) [2] Group 3 - The decline in new business establishments in South Korea is attributed to weak consumer demand, poor restaurant industry performance, and a sluggish construction sector, with the accommodation and food services sector seeing a 14.7% year-on-year decrease [3] - The real estate sector has also experienced a 12.8% decline, while wholesale and retail sectors have contracted by 8.1% [3] - Conversely, the financial and insurance sectors have seen a 21.9% increase in new establishments, and professional and technical services have experienced a slight growth of 1.7% [3]

Economic Growth - Morocco's economy is projected to grow by 3.8% in 2024, slightly higher than the 3.7% growth in 2023, driven mainly by domestic demand while facing inflation and increased financing needs [1] - The GDP growth at current prices is expected to be 7.9% in 2024, down from 11% in 2023, indicating a reduction in inflationary pressures [1] Sector Performance - The primary sector is underperforming, with an overall value added decline of 4.5%, agricultural output shrinking by 4.8%, and fisheries growth slowing from 6.9% in 2023 to 2.6% in 2024 [1] - The secondary sector shows strong growth, with value added increasing by 4.2% in 2024 compared to only 0.8% in 2023, driven by mining (+13%), construction (+5%), manufacturing (+3.3%), and utilities (+2.6%) [1] - The tertiary sector remains active but experiences a slight slowdown, with growth rates decreasing from 5% in 2023 to 4.6% in 2024, although sectors like transportation and storage (+7.4%) and financial services (+7.3%) are accelerating [1] Income and Savings - National disposable income is expected to grow by 7.7% in 2024, down from 10.2% in 2023, while the national savings rate rises to 28.9% of GDP, compared to 28% in 2023 [2] - The investment rate is projected to be 30.1% of GDP in 2024, up from 29% in 2023, leading to an increase in the financing gap from 1% of GDP to 1.2% [2]

Employment Data - In May, non-farm employment increased by 139,000, exceeding market expectations of 126,000, despite a downward revision of 95,000 in the previous two months[5] - The unemployment rate slightly rose to 4.24% in April, up from 4.19% in March, marking a near three-year high[5] - The labor force participation rate decreased from 62.6% to 62.4%[5] Federal Reserve Outlook - The probability of a rate cut in July dropped significantly to 16.7% following the employment data release[1] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates steady in June and July, with potential cuts in September and either November or December[2] - Market expectations for policy rates have shifted closer to the Federal Reserve's stance rather than the White House's position[2] Sector Performance - Service sector employment rose from 132,000 to 145,000, indicating resilience in this area, while goods-producing jobs fell from an increase of 11,000 to a decrease of 5,000[5] - Average hourly earnings saw a month-on-month increase of 0.42%, maintaining a year-on-year growth rate of 3.9%[5] - Job openings to unemployed persons ratio remains at 1, below the 2019 level, indicating a balanced labor market[5]

Overall Economic Activity - Economic activity in the U.S. is generally experiencing a slight to moderate decline, with half of the regions reporting a downturn, while three regions are stable and three show slight growth [2][3] - Manufacturing activity is broadly contracting, and consumer spending is mixed, with retail and dining sectors showing weakness, although some categories like automobiles are seeing increased demand due to tariff expectations [2][3] - The housing market is sluggish, with new home construction slowing down and existing home sales remaining flat, while inventory pressures are rising [2][3] Labor Market - Employment conditions are relatively stable, with most regions reporting flat employment rates, although some sectors like manufacturing and construction are seeing layoffs or hiring freezes [4] - Wage growth is moderate, with over 70% of businesses adopting a cautious approach to future hiring, and many have prepared for potential layoffs [4][11] - Job openings have unexpectedly increased, but the number of voluntary resignations has dropped significantly, indicating weakened confidence in the job market [11][12] Inflation and Pricing - Prices have been rising at a moderate pace, with tariffs exerting upward pressure on costs and prices, leading manufacturers to raise prices or reduce profits [5][6] - The real estate market remains stable, but new construction activities are either flat or slowing down due to uncertainty and high costs [6] - Service industries are facing limitations in pricing power, with some businesses delaying price adjustments to maintain demand [5][6] Regional Economic Highlights - Boston reports slight declines in consumption and housing prices, with businesses delaying hiring due to tariffs [7] - Atlanta sees growth in the energy sector, particularly LNG exports, while manufacturing is noticeably declining [8] - San Francisco's technology and financial services remain stable, but retail is shrinking, and the agricultural and real estate markets are softening [9] Policy and Economic Outlook - The intertwining of tariff disputes and interest rate cut expectations is creating a dual challenge for the U.S. economy, with markets anticipating at least two rate cuts within the year [14][15] - Recent data has led to increased speculation about the Federal Reserve's potential rate cuts, with a significant probability now assigned to cuts occurring in September or earlier [14] - The uncertainty surrounding tariffs and geopolitical risks continues to weigh on economic outlooks, with many regions maintaining a cautious stance [9][10]

Core Viewpoint - The ISM reported a decline in the US non-manufacturing PMI to 49.9, marking the lowest level since June 2024, indicating a contraction in the service sector [1][3] Group 1: Economic Indicators - The new orders index plummeted by 5.9 points to 46.4, the largest drop in nearly a year [3] - The business activity index fell by 3.7 points to 50, the lowest in five years [3] - The payment prices index surged to 68.7, the highest since November 2022 [3] Group 2: Sector Performance - The accommodation and food services sector was one of the few growth highlights, while eight other service sectors, including retail, construction, and transportation, experienced contraction [3] - Backlogs of orders decreased to the lowest level since August 2023 [3] Group 3: Employment and Supply Chain - The employment index increased by 1.7 points to 50.7, indicating nearly stagnant hiring [3][6] - The supplier delivery index rose, suggesting longer delivery times as companies adjust their supply chains [5] Group 4: Trade and Policy Impact - Both the export and import indices showed contraction, reflecting the impact of fluctuating trade policies from the Trump administration [4]

Group 1 - The April non-farm payroll report in the U.S. shows a mixed labor market picture, with 177,000 jobs added, exceeding the expected 130,000, but with a downward revision of 58,000 jobs in the previous two months [1] - The unemployment rate remains steady at 4.2%, while the annual wage growth is at 3.8%, which is below expectations [1] - The healthcare (+64,000), transportation and warehousing (+29,000), and financial activities (+15,000) sectors are the main contributors to job growth, while manufacturing continues to lose jobs [1] Group 2 - Average hourly earnings increased by 0.2% month-over-month, which is below the expected 0.3%, but the year-over-year growth of 3.8% outpaces the current inflation rate of 3.5%, indicating real income growth [2] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates in May, but traders have adjusted expectations for four rate cuts within the year [2] - The labor force participation rate slightly increased to 62.6%, with the participation rate for the core working age group (25-54 years) reaching a seven-month high, indicating more potential workers returning to the market [2]